Why?
by Shadow's Clutches
Summary: The fight with Shadow/dark Link in the water temple. What if the shadow had won? Told from Shadow's perspective.


The hero walks into a room with water below and seemingly endless sky above.

The shadows within the room grin. He has finally come…

The hero makes his way into the center of the room by the tree where the shadow lurks, but the shadow waits in the darkness, waiting for the right moment to kill. Kill and be free.

While waiting for the Hero to realize there was no escape, he intently gazed at the hero's features. His blonde hair, and green clothes similar in look, but not color to his own. His face was handsome with almost a boyish quality, almost as if he was not quite a man. The shadow was surprised that he found the hero slightly alluring. He was supposed to kill him after all. But the shadow shakes of this ludicrous thought. He is his enemy.

His hatred of this hero grows, for why is it that this hero was allowed to roam the lands and not he. Why did he have to be the shadow? He grins as he thinks that once the hero is dead, he will take over his life, and laugh when the petty Hylians do not realize the difference.

He rises from the water as the Hero turns around, realizing the door is locked.

When the hero realizes him standing there he is in shock. The shadow grins evilly, for he can take advantage of the hero's momentary pause to strike and kill him.

But he is foiled, for the hero quickly recovers from his momentary pause and blocks the shadow's fierce first strike. The shadow was impressed, for he thought the hero a pansy and was thrilled with the idea of a challenge. While their blades are locked together in a power struggle he looks into the hero's eyes, such a fierce yet innocent look in those deep blue eyes. How the shadow desires to see the light leave those blue eyes, see fear and despair enter them as he feels himself slipping from reality.

Their blade unlock, the hero taking the initiative this time, trying to strike a blow while the shadow is reveling in his imaginings. The shadow easily mimics the hero's moves.

Confusion clouds the hero's gaze, not understanding what just happened. Then the shadow notices a blue coming from over the shadow's shoulder as it speaks.

"It mimics your moves Link. Watch out!"

The shadow growls with rage that this twerpy voice has figured out what the hero would not have noticed for a while. The shadow is overwhelmed with the desire to crush the pest.

Without a second thought his hand goes to grab the blue shining light and catches the creature. He looks a bit closer, realizing it is a fairy, a being of helpfulness and healing. He chuckles with glee, killing this puny thing will surely leave the hero open to attack.

He easily crushes the puny creature, hearing the painful shrieks of the dying creature entrances him, he wants to hear more such sounds. The shadow was disappointed when the screams stopped, he looked over to see nothing left of the puny creature left besides blood dripping down his arm.

He looked up at the hero, who had fallen to his knees in horror. Unable to fully understand that his beloved friend and helper was now dead in a matter of seconds. The shadow wanted to taste the blood and see how the poor hero reacted. He licked up the blood running down his arm with his tongue, shuddering and moaning with pleasure as he tasted the delicious blood.

The look on the hero's face was priceless. He was appalled by his shadow's actions and looked ready to vomit, unable to handle the sight.

The shadow chuckled again as he let the blood continue to run down his arm, letting the feeling of it on his skin bring about more bloodlust. The shadow struck again, the hero barely able to bring up his sword in defense. The shadow didn't allow the hero any reprise and he swipes at the hero again, this time slashing the blade from his grasp.

The hero ran toward the blade, his only defense against his shadow attacker, but the shadow disappeared into the water and reappeared next to the sword, picking it up.

It was familiar yet different from his weapon, instead of a black hilt; a blue one took its place. He felt a presence within the sword that detested his touching the blade. But he was part of the hero, his shadow. So with reluctance the blade could not do anything against the shadow using the blade for his own means.

The hero stopped short, seeing that this unusual shadow version of himself had managed to pick up the master sword, that was rumor to not be able to be touched by evil. Did that make this shadow creature in front of him not evil? He had no more time for thoughts as the shadow swung at him with ferocity, barely able to dodge the first attack.

The shadow smirked to himself, for while the hero dodged, he disappeared and reappeared again right in front of where the hero would land from his roll. The look of surprise on the hero's face was priceless. He relished it as he picked up the hero by his chin, holding him high enough that the hero's feet were dangling in the air.

It was then that the shadow decided to speak for the first time, trying out his voice, he found it was deep and sultry and was pleased at its sound.

"So this is the supposed "great" hero I was supposed to defeat. How is it that you managed to survive any sort of creatures Ganondorf sent after you? You are a pathetic hero, a failure of a hero. I will kill you, watch the light leave your eyes, then use your blood to fuel myself, taking your form and tarnishing your "good" name. When I'm done with the place called Hyrule, this place you call home, no one will be able to recognize it with all the carnage I will wrought. And they will think it was all because of you, their hero turned villain." He said laughed with glee at the fear written all over the hero's face.

The shadow throws him to the ground hard, knocking the air out of him. He grinned seeing the hero gasp for breath, desperate for air.

The shadow brings the hero's master sword down on the hero, stabbing him, creating a grave wound.

The hero's life was waining, the light in his eyes was dimming, but before it vanished completely, the hero spoke one simple word.

"Why? …" The hero rasped.

The shadow refused to answer the pathetic hero.

With the bewilderment and fear on his features, the light in his eyes lessoned until it was no more.

The shadow laughed manically in triumph. The hero is dead. He is free. Free to leave the temple and destroy the hero in all ways possible.

After devouring the hero's blood greedily, he headed out of the temple. He rose in the water of the lake and was blinded by the searing light in the sky. He was upset at how such an abysmal thing existed. He wanted to crush the blinding light and bring his world into shadow. Finally the world was his… or was it?

Everywhere he went people cringed at the sight of him. They did not belief for a second that he was the hero, their precious Hero of Time. They saw him as a despicable creature to hide and cower from.

This was not part of his plans. They were supposed to welcome him as the hero, so to make the betrayal all the more savory. But as much as he pretended to act like the hero, with trying to be "kind" the people always saw through him and realized the bloodlust behind his eyes.

Frustrated he goes back to his master, seeing if he can help crush the villagers spirits and everything the hero loved with his old masters help.

But his old master wanted nothing more to do with him.

"I gave you your freedom, and you come groveling back to me? You pathetic shadow. Leave my sight."

He watched his master take control of the world by force from the sidelines. Not able to join in the fun because his former master had banished him. He saw everything he had wanted, all the destruction he wanted to do, being done, but not by him. His victory was taken from him.

It was then that he remembered the hero's one word. Why? It seemed like a foolish question. He had every reason to hate him, for the hero was his reason for being trapped and confined. But now he pondered the question more. Why… why had he not tried to find another solution… Why wasn't he allowed his victory? He had done what was demanded of him, shouldn't he get his reward?

But fate had ordained a different path. He had everything taken from him and had nothing left for him. His former master had destroyed Hyrule, but it was not by the shadow's hands. The shadow had wanted to be the one to snuff the life from the land. But he refused to do it unless it was the way he had always imagined it. He had wanted a perfect victory, utterly defeat his opponent and destroy his memory after his death… but all he was left now was his unfulfilled need for vengeance.

He spoke out loud even though he did not realize it.

"Why? …"


End file.
